08/13/06 Sheba, Baby

Sheba, Baby (1975), directed by William Girdler

watched solo; DVD (personal copy) @ car ride (from Kennebunk, ME to Newport, ME)

I racked my brain to think of what film might best symbolize our visit to Maine and the coastal town of Bar Harbor to see the serene Atlantic Ocean and its islands. You know what I came up with...this hard-hitting, no-punches-pulled blaxploitation stalwart starring the strong sexy mama Pam Grier. Yes, nothing delivers a punch in the gut better to the pansy white-bread elite of New England (hey, didn't President Bush used to vacation in these here parts?!) than this you-know-what-busting tigress of the action genre. OK, it has nothing at all to do with the location, I just thought it would be fun. Unfortunately, I liked this film better the first & second time I saw it when it was either "Coffy" or "Foxy Brown." Yes, like any franchise or superstar of cinema of yesteryear or today...they beat the series into the ground for the sake of big bucks and trends. Alas, Pam Grier is sexy, sophisticated and bad-ass as ever, but the plot is so re-hashed and dumbed down that it wasn't exciting enough as it should have been. Pam is Sheba, who is a tough Chicago detective used to cleaning up city scum...who is forced to return to hometown Louisville, KY when her proud businessman father is stricken down by local thugs pushing in on his territory. While back home, Sheba reunites with former flame Brick (they do have great names though in these over-the-top action films), who helps her stick it to the bad guys (who lead by a man named Shark all have clever marine names like Hammerhead, Pilot and Fin). You can always count on some gratuitous cleavage shots, as well as some creative torture/killing techniques. The funniest had to be when trying to get pimp to talk, Sheba stuffs his head out of a moving car while going through a car automatic car wash...with the hot wax coming! Plus, there had to be what may have been one of the first real jet ski/boat chases on film, which was cool...but in the end, it was the same overly hyped crud that often fills the screen to sell tickets today.

2 out of 5 stars